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GamesMaster Issue 1
This magazine was cover dated January 1993 and priced at £1.75. News Headlines Greetings! (8) Future Show Rocks Nation! (8-9) Blister-Busting Joypad Unveiled (10) Sega Losing Control? (10) Clash of the 32-bit Titans! (12) Mega Drive Streetfighter - Is it Happening or What? (12) EA Goes to the Opera (12) MC Sonic (12) Action Replay vs Game Genie (13) Head Games (13) French Invent Time Travel (13) Press Corner (13) Kick Off for Consoles (14) Sensible Soccer - 92/93 Season (14) Diary Dates (14) Charts (15) Previews Star Wars - Game Boy (Ubisoft) - ⅓ page (26) Mr. Nuts - SNES (Ocean) - ⅔ page (26-27) Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour - SNES (Ubisoft) - ⅓ page (27) James Pond 3: Operation Starfish - Amiga / Mega Drive / SNES (Millennium) + Interview with programmer Chris Sorrell - 2⅔ pages (28-31) Gunship 2000 - Amiga (MicroProse) - 1⅓ pages (32-33) Frontier: Elite II - Amiga (Konami) - ¾ page (35) Dropzone - Game Boy (Konami) - ¼ page (35) Wing Commander - SNES (Mindscape) - 1⅓ pages (36-37) Speedball 2 - Game Boy (Konami) - ⅓ page (36) Walker - SNES (Psygnosis) - ⅓ page (37) Road Rash II - Mega Drive (Electronic Arts) - ½ page (38) Road Rash - Amiga (Electronic Arts) - ½ page (38) Features Dominik's Big Purple Column - Dominik Diamond - 2 pages (19-20) TV News - 2 pages (22-23) The Games Arena: Adrian Price takes on James Leach at Street Fighter 2 on the SNES. 2⅔ pages (26-33) Horoscope - 1 page (141) The Absolutely Tragic GamesMaster Christmas Board Game - 2 pages (142-143) Reviews 'Table' Other Details 'Verdicts' Nigel Mansell's World Championship - 83% (Amiga) :It doesn't have the depth of Formula One GP, but it's more of a racing game. The circuits are taxing and all different, so there's lots to see and do for all the family (as it were}. It's annoying that you don't spin off, but just thump the track's sides and lose all your speed. But once you're good, you won't be doing this. Nigel Mansell's World Championship is a great arcadey racer. But if you're after the full F1 experience, MicroProse's Formula One Grand Prix has the edge. Legends of Valour - 90% (Amiga) :An astounding and utterly essential game. It has humour, gorgeous graphics, an instinctive control method and heaps of longevity. Makes all the previous attempts at the genre seem dull and predictable. Shed all those preconceptions and get this immediately. Superb. Axelay - 80% (SNES) :Axelay ''is a gorgeous game. Okay, so this gorgeousness slows it down occasionally - you can just about live with that if the gameplay is excellent can't you? Ah, but the game-play doesn't quite keep up with the look of it. If it's a trade-off between graphics and gameplay, this one throws its lot firmly on the graphics side, leaving those of us who love a decent bit of game-play feeling slightly miffed. It's not crap though. In fact it's a promising attempt. 'Out of this World - 73% (SNES)' :A moody and extremely playable piece of software sci-fi. Be warned, it's not for beginners or those of you used to a more immediate blasting fix. A thoughtful brew of puzzling and positioning. Not for everyone, but if you fancy a challenge, check it out. 'Sonic 2 - 65% (Mega Drive)' :''Sonic 2 is an important new release. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite justify itself as a sequel. The changes are there, but they're just not profound enough to transform the game into an essential buy for owners of the original. If it's a case of competing with your mates for the latest games, then do your utmost to resist the temptation to buy Sonic 2 for its hype value alone. Push Over - 85% (SNES) :I am fast becoming a big fan of Push Over. The idea is simple but the addictive qualities make it a winner. As far as puzzle-type games on the SNES go, this won't be beaten for a long time to come. It looks good and plays like a classic. It's a lot of fun and working out some of the teaser levels will tax you to the limit. An excellent idea for a game, brilliantly executed. What more could you ask? Desert Strike - 87% (SNES) :Desert Strike: good on the Mega Drive, good on the SNES. This version is fast, slick, playable and nice to look at. You pick up the controls quickly, and flying the AH-64 becomes second nature after a while. You might find yourself finishing it too soon because there are only four missions, but I doubt it. So buy it. You won't regret it. John Madden Football 93 - 90% (Mega Drive) :John Madden '93 is simply the most sophisticated, intriguing and complex game available on any system anywhere. If you fancy yourself as having a brain as well as a fast trigger-finger, this is the game for you. Exhaust Heat - 67% (SNES) :It's a shame that for virtually every nice thing about Exhaust Heat, there's a downside. During practice it's super-quick, so it's annoying when it slows down when racing with other cars. The tracks are excellent replicas of the real thing, but you've only got to drive round them three times. It just doesn't quite add up. Lotus Turbo Challenge - 79% (Mega Drive) :Lotus Turbo Challenge is a great-looking game and offers fast and furious action all the way. The simultaneous two-player action has got to be a good thing, provided you can find someone to race against, but there's not quite enough to the rest of Lotus to make it a true classic. NFL Sports Talk Football '93 Starring Joe Montana - 80% (Mega Drive) :While not coming anywhere near John Madden in the gameplay department, Joe Montana 3 isn't really all that bad at all. The best features of the previous games have been retained and enhanced, and there are loads more new options and features besides. American footy enthusiasts will undoubtedly enjoy it as a bit of a change from Madden. Bart's Nightmare - 54% (SNES) :Can they squeeze much more from the Simpsons? It does capture the look of the cartoon but it fails to portray them in a way that will suit all. The sub-games are not very strong and if you're a persistent type of games player you will finish this in a short time, to the rest of you it will take a while. Not the game for serious buyers, but if you're a Simpsons fan... can you be all that serious? Super Mario Land 2 - 89% (Game Boy) :Super Mario Land is no longer the best cart you can get for your Gameboy. The sequel is bigger, better and nicer to look at. It offers more of nearly everything. With plenty of new abilities for Mario to adopt, lots of new enemies that call for new tactics to defeat them, and a game zone bigger than your home town, it's just as well there's a battery backup and three memories. Easyness is it's only major fault. Buy It. Micro Machines - 91% (NES) :Definitely recommended. It's a novel idea done very well and it's incredibly addictive. You really need two players to get the most fun out of it, but it's still worth having even if there's only one of you. And you never know when someone might pop round for a burn. Kung Food - 72% (Atari Lynx) :A terrifically ridiculous, original and challenging game with one of the finest titles ever. The backing music, a kind of pseudo-Chinese effort, is irritating, but doesn't distract from the game's addictiveness. I never thought mixed vegetables could be quite so delicious. Super Space Invaders - 55% (Game Gear) :A fair conversion of an indifferent arcade game. The choice of difficulty level means you can set your own challenge, but it's not a game you'll want to return to very often - the concept may have wowed us once, but today it's passé. Fondle and forget. Premier Manager - 81% (Amiga) :Premier Manager is a high-quality game. There's a complete lack of action in it and although it looks okay, it's not stretching the Amiga to it's limits. But who cares? If you want to take a team to the top of the league and win all the cups, it's the perfect game for you. Lemmings - 80% (Mega Drive) :With all the hype surrounding Sonic 2 it's a pity that games like Lemmings ''will not get the attention they deserve. If you want a game with challenge then look at this before anything else. It's tough, it's cute and it takes ages to complete. The graphics may be a little below par and the action is hardly fast, but ''Lemmings plays like a good 'un. Caesar - 88% (Amiga) :Caesar updates Sim City, with sumptuous palaces, temples, baths, riots and armies. It's got more of a point to it; it looks good, it's fun to play and is also (shock, horror) quite educational. Curse of Enchantia - 88% (Amiga) :Curse of Enchantia is going to be a yardstick of a game. It is very easy to get into, so you won't need to wade through heaps of documentation before you start. The graphics are pretty amazing and the high degree of humour urges you on and on. Not the toughest of adventures, but very entertaining. Xenon 2 - 76% (Game Boy) :It's not a patch on the original looks-wise, and the start-off spaceship is sluggish and weedy, but the action hots up soon enough with interesting maze sections adding to the frenetic blasting. Not the slickest Game Boy blast, but entertaining nonetheless. Pit Fighter - 20% (Master System) :Okay so it isn't Street Fighter 2 and I didn't expect it to be, but I did think it would be a bit better than this. It's more of a button-bashing event than a game. Shadow of the Beast - 59% (Atari Lynx) :The graphics are quite pretty and it does challenge the old grey matter at times. Worth a few plays, but don't die for it - it's pretty run-of-the-mill stuff. Swamp Thing - 35% (Game Boy) :A very mediocre platform game. As well as slovenly movement, silly controls, below-average graphics and repetitive, irritating gameplay, Swamp Thing also boasts the most annoying in-game tune in living memory. Almost a full house, but the packaging is quite nice. One for the 'avoid' list. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 62% (Game Boy) :There's a lot gone into this game, with six big levels, some mean guardians and lots to explore. The controls often get on top of you though, and the game-play tends towards being both mindless and repetitive. It's nothing special, basically. The Terminator - 84% (Game Gear) :It's a nice game which can be difficult at times. Short and sweet - if only there was more. What it all boils down to is a perfect conversion of the Mega Drive version. Pinball Fantasies - 90% (Amiga) :Pinball Fantasies is just so fast and frantic that you can't help but like it. With four tables and up to eight players it's the ultimate pinball game out there - it's fast becoming the office game. There's no trade off between graphics and gameplay, you really do get the both of best worlds. (sic) McDonaldland - 41% (NES) :Just another bog-standard platform game. Despite the novelty value of the McDonald, tie-in there's really not much to separate this from the rank and file of runny-jumpers. It may well keep you happy until the next Mario outing, but only until then... For images of the reviews see here. Tips 'Special Tips / Guides / Maps' Krusty's Super Fun House - Guide (Mega Drive / SNES) - 4 pages (104-107) Zool - Guide (Amiga) - 2 pages (109-110) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Map (SNES) - 2 pages (112-113) Shadow of the Beast III - Solution: Part One (Amiga) - 2 pages (114-115) Silly Putty - Maps (Amiga) - 3 pages (116-118) Olympic Gold: Barcelona '92 - Tips (Mega Drive) - 2 pages (120-121) 'Small Tips' SNES :Axelay, Soul Blazer, Bart's Nightmare, Super Smash TV, Street Fighter 2, Super Mario World & Push Over (125) Mega Drive :Sonic 2 & Desert Strike (125-126) Amiga :Caesar, The Secret of Monkey Island, Hunter, Operation Stealth, Hook, Humans, Shinobi & Prince of Persia (126) NES :Boulder Dash, Bart vs the Space Mutants, Super Mario Bros. 3, Castlevania, Mega Man 3, Double Dragon II: The Revenge & Totally Rad (126-127) Master System :Pit Fighter (127) Action Replay & Game Genie Codes - 1½ pages - (122-123) Adverts Ocean :NES - McDonaldland, Parasol Stars, Prince Valiant & Lemmings :Game Boy - Super Hunchback, McDonaldland, Parasol Stars & Prince Valiant :SNES - Push Over, Exhaust Heat, The Addams Family & RoboCop 3 Nintendo :Game Boy - Super Mario Land 2 MicroProse :Amiga, ST, PC - Formula One Grand Prix Electronic Arts :Mega Drive - Road Rash II & Lotus Turbo Challenge Domark :Game Gear - Prince of Persia Anco :SNES - Populous & Kick Off ICE :Amiga - Piracy on the High Seas Titus :Amiga, ST, PC, Amstrad CPC - Super Cauldron Core Design :Amiga, PC - Curse of Enchantia Other Credits Art Editor :Wayne Allen Reviews Editor :James Leach Production Editors :Alison Harper, Karl Foster Staff Writers :Andy Lowe, Les Ellis Deputy Art Editor :Lam Tang Art Assistant :Simon Barnes Games "Player" :Adrian Price Contributors :Steve Jarratt, Neil West, Andy Dyer, Mark Ramshaw, Andy Smith, Matt Bielby, Gary Penn, Dominik Diamond, Steve Carsey Analysis Issue Index Category:GamesMaster Issues Category:Contains Amiga Reviews Category:Contains Mega Drive Reviews Category:Contains Atari Lynx Reviews Category:Contains Game Boy Reviews Category:Contains NES Reviews Category:Contains SNES Reviews Category:Contains Master System Reviews Category:Contains Game Gear Reviews